Irondequoit Catholic Communities
Confirmation Graces

Celebrating 100 years

There is so much to learn about following Jesus as disciples and ambassadors of his Kingdom. It involves some study and openness to the Holy Spirit. Charisms are actual graces which except for prayer tongues (your will is involved), come and go according to the need of those we pray with. This grace is freely given for God wants us healed and must be freely accepted (our will). "Of this wisdom it is written" Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has it so much as dawned on us what God had prepared for those who love Him,'" 1 Cor 2:9. The Holy Spirit living in us since our Baptism has ministry graces for us each day if we are willing to follow Him to use us in marvelous ways to help build up the broken body of Jesus on earth. None of us are perfect or have all the answers yet our Merciful Lord chooses to use us as ambassadors of His Kingdom.

9 GRACES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: 1 Corinthians 12:8-11 (with some ministry graces)

The Word of WISDOM is a spiritual gift by which the Holy Spirit leads us to say or do something or not do something, in a way that is helpful to build up the Body of Christ (spiritual therapy, and intuition or leading). It is an expression of God's guidance in how to live as a Christian (Mk 10:20).

The Word of KNOWLEDGE is usually one word or fact given by which we gain information necessary to heal and renew (direct) members of the Body of Christ. It is a thought, word, picture, or insight that seems to come into our mind as we pray with others. (Ephesians 1) This dimension of FAITH is a confidence prayer that what we are led to ask from our Father will happen if it is according to His will. It brings extraordinary results. (Mk 11:23)

The Ministries of HEALING are God using a person or team to bring physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, rational, generational, genetic, memories, imagination, vows, grief/loss, addition and sexual healing to others more quickly or in an accelerated manner. (Acts 3:1-10) The Ministry of MIRACLES usually refers to an extraordinary manifestation of God's power to help someone. General characteristics are: 1) spiritual nature, 2) moral nature (affects one's conduct), 3) general answer to prayer, 4) usually seen by others, 5) not necessarily dependent on the recipient's faith, 6) promotes another's welfare.

The Ministry of PROPHECY is the Holy Spirit in us speaking to a person or group words of encouragement and/or direction usually spoken in the first person singular. It can also be a faint picture understood or not by the recipient. A direct quote of scripture is not a current prophecy. (1 Cor 14)

DISCERNMENT OF SPIRITS is a grace when directing or helping others to know whether we are dealing with God's Holy Spirit, a human spirit, or evil spirits. (Acts 8:23)

The gift of PRAYING IN TONGUES is the Holy Spirit in us using our voice to praise God in a language we do not know which bypasses our thinking process. It can be done alone or in a group and functions in speaking, praying, singing, praising, worshiping, adoring God or delivering evil spirits. The Holy Spirit prays as God wills. (Rm 8:27)

The Ministry of INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES is similar to translating a foreign language except that the person giving the interpretation on another's tongues does not know the language. The interpretation of what was said in tongues is given directly by the Holy Spirit. The interpreter must give the message to the whole group for the building up of the Body of Christ.

RESTING IN THE HOLY SPIRIT (being "slain") is an experience of the power of the Holy Spirit coming upon a person in such a strong way that the person looses consciousness or goes limp for a period of time while the Holy Spirit is healing as if one were under the influence of anesthesia. Don't touch the person, the Holy Spirit is healing. They will wake up. See: Gen 2:21-22; 1 Chron 5:14; Dan 10:9-12; Mt 28:4; Jn 18:6; Acts 9:4 & 22:7; Rev 1:17

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Page last modified on September 26, 2007, at 11:34 AM